“We pretty much gutted the place,” Nikki Hammerstrom said of the home she is selling, motioning at the expanse of the courtyard while standing in the pool cabana that doubles as a guest suite.

The Hammerstroms wasted no time upgrading their Hampton Woods Lane home in Indian River Club after they bought it in 2015. The 2,200-square-foot home was built in 1997 and was due for an update.

Now, guests greeted at the front door are treated to a poolside view over recently laid brick pavers.

Nikki and David Hammerstrom were previously residents of Grand Harbor, having owned two homes in the community over time. They ultimately decided that they needed something bigger – something that could accommodate their grown children and their families when they come to visit.

“I always wanted a courtyard home,” David said. The style allows for a guest suite separate from the house that features a large glass slider facing the pool, a bathroom and a walk-in closet. It also has its own air conditioner/heating unit.

The entry of the main house opens off the courtyard into the main living space, a combination of open kitchen, dining and living room. Several courtyard models provide separation between the kitchen and other spaces – but this one easily flows from one to the other.

“This is my third kitchen,” Nikki said, explaining that she designed it to fit her specific needs. Not interested in a traditional inside corner cabinet, she had the contractor craft a folding door to easily gain access to the deep space. The cabinets all have roll-out drawers and all the cabinetry has soft-close features.

Opposite the kitchen is a three-panel glass slider that pockets as it’s opened, providing more than ample space for foot traffic between the courtyard and kitchen while entertaining.

A similar glider was installed near the living room, again granting guests breathing room while milling about.

The home is situated along the first hole of the community’s private golf course. The view out the “golfer’s patio” – also known as the sun room – includes the 1st- and 9th-hole fairways and a pond. It’s about 100 hundred yards from the green of the 1st hole.

Being on the Audubon-certified golf course, it’s common to get exotic visitors at the sun room’s door.

“They come all the time and peck near the door,” Nikki said of the sandhill cranes. They have yet to cause any damage to the door or the room’s screens.

The guest room in the main house is secluded, tucked behind the kitchen, and has a hall bath just a step outside the door. Nikki pointed out the toilet in the bath; it’s raised. “We can’t go back,” she said of ordinary toilets.

The laundry/mud room is just inside from the 2-car garage and includes a utility sink. The garage itself can fit two vehicles plus a golf cart.

The master suite is unique in that it boasts two bathrooms – one for each of the suite’s occupants. The baths are connected in the middle via a frosted glass shower. Each also gets his or her own walk-in closet – though Nikki’s is the largest. Her bath is also larger – containing a soaker tub.

The bedroom is large enough to comfortably accommodate a king-size bed and still have room for a sitting area.

“Vero Beach is a great place to live,” David said. An active golfer, he’s enjoyed Indian River Club’s course, which he calls “one of the best in town.”

“Everyone here is so friendly,” Nikki said. She noted that their street – Hampton Woods Lane – has a reputation as the “party” street, where residents often host holiday parties.

“The community is a gem,” David said, “a hidden secret.”

The Hammerstroms are planning to leave the area, though, and swap the east coast of Florida for the west. They’re heading southwest to the Naples area to be closer to the grandkids.

If it were possible to pick up their Hampton Woods Lane house and take it with them to Naples, they would, David said.

Vital Statistics

Address: 717 Hampton Woods Lane
Neighborhood: Indian River Club
Lot size: 0.16 acres – 56 feet by 140 feet
Construction: Concrete block, stucco
Year built: 1997; renovated and upgraded in 2015
Size: 2,200 square feet • Bedrooms: 3 • Bathrooms: 4
Additional features: Courtyard-style home located on first hole of golf course; dual bathrooms in master en-suite; pool cabana/guest suite with independent A/C; quartz and granite counters throughout; California Closet Systems; enclosed sun room; roof and pool heat pump replaced 2016.
Listing agency: Berkshire Hathaway Home Services
Listing agent: Peggy Hewett, 772-321-4282
Listing price: $439,000